Continental and the National Federation of Transport Associations of Spain (Fenadismer) presented the results of their joint study about key aspects of transport activities in Spain.
Increasing Capacity
The study highlights that increasing truckload capacity to 44 was seen negatively among the transport sector, with more than 30% of carriers stating that this measure would force them to abandon their activities. Plenty of the members of the transport sector in Spain (41%) expressed their concerns about not achieving the increased prices with this measure. Additionally, the majority of the transport sector members highlighted difficulties in recruiting new drivers, as well as a lack of knowledge about the new European regulations – Regulation 117 and Euro 7.
The New Regulations
Road transport is one of the sectors that has been a topic of both European and national administration bodies with the aim of reducing emissions. This is one of the goals of the Euro 7 regulation, which aims to establish various limits that would reduce emissions for all vehicles with combustion engines. According to the Continental and Fenadismer study, 22% of carriers are still unaware of this regulation. Similarly, one in three carriers are unaware that CO2 emissions affect the tolls in some EU countries. The carriers that operate nationally in Spain are more likely to be unaware of such regulations compared to those who work internationally, across Europe.
The mandatory VECTO tool, developed by the European Commission to ensure that CO2 emission targets are met (currently only for motor vehicles) is unknown to 72% of drivers. Heavy trailers and semi-trailers are required to have an efficiency certificate from July 2024 and from January 2024, semi-trailer manufacturers must include efficiency certificates on their new products.
The new Regulation 117 further highlights the lack of knowledge in this field. It requires all newly approved tyres in Europe to undergo performance tests, especially in wet braking situations. According to the Continental and Fenadismer study, two out of three carriers are unaware of this regulation.
Safety and Employability
Half of the drivers said that they have been faced with robbery in the last five years and 71% of drivers said that they do not consider parking in Spain and Europe safe.
Only 11% of the carriers described searching and hiring new drivers as easy. The best-considered solutions to improve the lack of workers are to improve working conditions (70% vs. 75% in 2023), implement more efficient and operational logistics models (60% vs. 68%) and change the retirement age to 60 (56% vs. 65%).
Spanish carriers are addressing the lack of workforce by employing foreign citizens since 25% of companies reported hiring drivers from abroad.
Tyres: Key Element for Driver Safety
According to the Continental and Fenadismer study, more than 95% of drivers consider tyres as highly important when it comes to driver safety on the road. Tread depth (36%) and pressure (34%) were considered the most important when choosing the right tyre, following brand (31%), price (30%) and suitability according to the vehicle type (29%).
Antonio Sangüesa, Head of Fleet Solutions and Services at Continental said that “at Continental, it is a priority to analyse and understand the main concerns of the fleet transport sector to understand its demands and needs.” He also reaffirmed the company’s commitment to improve users’ knowledge in those fields that are unknown to them which further helps them choose the right tyre for their needs. “The transport sector is not alone, Continental is at its side to accompany it on this new path,” he stressed.
Juan José Gil, Secretary General of Fenadismer pointed out that “Spanish carriers face a complex reality full of new rules and regulations that they must take into account, since, if these changes do not occur gradually and realistically, the sector runs the risk of facing losses and even the disappearance of part of the current group.” He added: “We must not forget that we are talking about an essential activity for the Spanish and European economy.”
